<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000757523 <NAME> ARAMARK CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-27-1996 <PERIOD-START> SEP-30-1995 <PERIOD-END> SEP-27-1996 <CASH> 25,283 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 576,447 <ALLOWANCES> 16,351 <INVENTORY> 316,043 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 985,750 <PP&E> 1,594,962 <DEPRECIATION> 770,327 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,830,770 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 963,841 <BONDS> 1,321,865 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 247 <OTHER-SE> 295,954 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 2,830,770 <SALES> 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 6,122,500 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 5,565,038 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 182,785 <LOSS-PROVISION> 6,875 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 116,014 <INCOME-PRETAX> 179,159 <INCOME-TAX> 66,931 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 112,228 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> (2,758) <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 109,470 <EPS-PRIMARY> $2.31 <EPS-DILUTED> $2.31